Category Archives: Comings & Goings

Now here’s something we found interesting as we were reflecting on Food & Dining’s coverage of the local restaurant industry: in the over 14 years or so and 58 issues of the magazine, this column has noted that restaurant business closings have outnumbered openings only five times. This column in this issue continues to mark this remarkable growth. In the last three months, restaurants that have opened (brand new businesses and expansions into new locations of existing businesses) have outnumbered restaurant closings 28 to 13. Continue reading Comings & Goings — Winter 2017→

The past three months have seen much activity in the local restaurant world but not at the higher end of the economic range. All of the fine dining establishments seem to be holding their own with no newcomers to that market and no casualties. Of the 27 restaurants that have opened since the last issue of F&D in May, at least 8 serve ethnic cuisine ranging from Turkish to Somali to Vietnamese. Another nine serve familiar American cuisine — or 12, if you include pizza along with burgers, wings and BBQ as quintessentially American food. A few outliers complete the list of new food businesses — a vegan café, a cereal restaurant, and a chef’s performance/demonstration space. Fifteen restaurants have closed for good, and two other businesses — Louis’s the Ton and Me Gusta Latin Kitchen — didn’t so much close as change their identities in mid stride, to The Butchertown Social and El Barrio Tequila & Whiskey Bar, respectively. And eight multi-outlet businesses closed one or more locations, but they are still serving elsewhere. Continue reading Comings & Goings — A comprehensive update on the local restaurant scene→

Well, the restaurant growth in the Louisville area continues apace. Since the last issue in August, Food & Dining this issue is adding 33 new restaurants to its listings, a dozen of which are additional outlets of existing businesses. Only 15 restaurants have closed, or have announced that they will do so; three of those closings are businesses that are folding one of multiple locations. So, polish up those charge cards and get ready to try some new dining spots.Continue reading Coming & Goings→

The local restaurant scene continues to be on a tear. In this issue, F&D is listing 30 restaurants that have opened in the last three months (or are scheduled to open by the fall) – 23 new concepts and seven new locations for businesses that have decided now is the time to open additional outlets. Continue reading Comings & Goings — Fall 2016→

In this issue we list the arrival of two dozen new restaurants, the expansion of 10 more established businesses into one or more additional locations, and the return to business of two restaurants closed for several months to recover from fires. Against those numbers we note the closing of just 17 restaurants — and several of those locations have already been taken over by the new kids on the block.

Is this 2-to-1 ratio of growth sustainable? We already hear rumblings about the difficulty of staffing of new restaurants in general, much less with experienced help. But Louisvillians continue to find dining out an enjoyable entertainment option, and new concepts continue entering the market. As they say, let the good times roll.Continue reading Comings & Goings→

When I finished the 12-year review of restaurants that had opened and closed during the first 50-issue run of Food & Dining for the previous issue, I heaved a sigh of relief and thought that we were caught up, and that the next stab at that feature would be easy. Well, that certainly was not the case. The vigor of the restaurant business continues unabated, with 20 new businesses already opened or set to open in the next few months, and eight other additions to chains, local and otherwise, added in the last three months. Twelve restaurants have closed since we last took count, two others with multiple outlets closed one of them and four others have closed for the time being due to fire damage or remodeling. Those total numbers are fairly consistent with the churn reported in recent issues, with the numbers favoring growth overall. Since Louisville has made a couple of different “Best Food Cities” lists in recent weeks, it is a relief to note that the trend in this tricky and uncertain business continues to be positive.Continue reading Comings & Goings→

This is Food & Dining’s 50th issue, an occasion we saw fitting to review what has transpired in the dozen or so years this magazine has chronicled restaurants in Louisville and its immediate environs. Those years have seen a time of surging interest in food and drink, and how both are made and prepared. Continue reading 50 ISSUES of Comings & Goings→

[Originally published in the F&D Fall 2015 issue] This past spring and early summer have seen a flowering of restaurant ambitions here in the river city. In that time, sixteen new restaurants have opened their doors, and nine existing restaurants have opened additional outlets around town.

But equally significant is the fact that between this issue and our winter issue in October, six more new restaurants are scheduled to open, and four more additional branches of established businesses are in the works, most looking to start serving by the end of August. That all adds up to 35 additions to our listings.

It has been a vibrant and verdant spring around the area, and a fertile season for restaurants as well. This past quarter saw the emergence of 29 new restaurants, and the closing of only 16, almost twice as many openings as closings. For the restaurants biz, that certainly is a good start to the year.

In nature, the winter months are a time of rest — animals hibernate, plants shut down growth and conserve their energies for spring. In the Louisville restaurant world, though, there was as much activity in the last three months as there has been all year — no hibernating or tamping down of energies here.

The numbers alone reveal the extent of the activity. Since the last issue of F&D, we have seen 17 new restaurants debut, seven existing businesses open additional locations and six existing restaurants change either their locations or their menu focus. Continue reading Comings and Goings – Spring 2015→